At the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24, Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa successfully retained her 5000m crown, marking the standout performance of the opening day.
Eisa’s triumphant time of 14:39.71 shattered Genzebe Dibaba’s 2010 championship record by over 28 seconds, leaving her countrywoman Mekedes Alemeshete in second place.
The Ethiopian duo surged ahead from the start, taking turns to lead the pack. They passed the 2000m mark in 5:58.59, establishing a 40-metre advantage. By 3000m, clocked at 8:57.28, their lead had extended to 70 metres.
Eisa broke away from Alemeshete with three and a half laps remaining, lapping most competitors to secure Ethiopia’s eighth women’s 5000m gold in the past nine championships.
Mekedes Alemeshete finished second in 14:57.44, while Uganda’s Charity Cherop claimed bronze with a personal best of 15:25.02.
Eisa, who had finished seventh in the 5000m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, expressed her joy, stating, “I’m very happy with this win and to achieve a championship record after the Olympics. I wanted to be a champion, I have wanted this for months.”
In contrast, the men’s 5000m unfolded differently. Early breakaway attempts proved futile, with the race culminating in a sprint finish as seven runners remained bunched together at the final lap.
On the last turn, Kenya’s Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi surged ahead, clinching victory in 13:41.14. Ethiopia’s Abdisa Fayisa (13:41.56) and Uganda’s Keneth Kiprop (13:41.73) secured second and third places, respectively.